Heel shoe for squatting exercises

ABSTRACT

An elevated heel sole exercising device for securely receiving the heel portion of a user&#39;s shoe, comprising a sole member, an upper member, a means for providing grip to the user&#39;s shoe, a means for providing traction to the device during use and a means for securing the user&#39;s shoes in place. The upper member comprises a heel-bed, heel counter and a band having elastic and a non elastic portions and extending from the heel counter such that it wraps around the ankle of the user. The sole member has sufficient length and thickness such that the forefoot portion of the user&#39;s shoe is elevated off the ground when the user&#39;s shoe is received. The bottom section of the sole member is broader than the top section to provide better balance to the user.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to design patent application Ser. No. 29/271164 filed on Jan. 11, 2007.

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

Not Applicable

SEQUENCE LISTING OR PROGRAM

Not Applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL

Portions of the disclosure of this patent document contain material that is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates in general to exercise footwear, and more particularly to an elevated heel sole exercising device for performing squatting exercises and other leg muscle toning exercises.

A variety of footwear for leg muscles exercises are known in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 5,339,542 to Kim discloses an exercise device for strengthening the muscles and ligaments of the feet, legs and lower torso. The device comprises a platform element, front and rear securing straps, a foot-bed and a tractive sole. The rear securing straps are attached substantially below the upper level of the platform element. The front securing straps are for substantially securing the forward portion of the foot to the device. Although this device is attachable to a user's shoe and includes an elevated platform, the present invention is different in that it is an elevated heel sole that comprises different means for securing a user's shoe and provides better grip and balance during squats.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,120,102 to Kenigson discloses an insert to fit inside a shoe, below the heel of the foot. The insert is a pad of resilient material such as artificial rubber with smooth top surface. The under surface has a plurality of ribs which extend out from a center area under the middle of the heel. Each rib has one vertical edge and one slanted edge. The directions in which the slanted edges are disposed is opposite for the left and right shoes and is such that the pressure of the heel and the shape of the ribs tends to rotate or twist the heel around and outward, away from the other foot causing the arch to be raised. This promotes foot comfort and reduces wear of the shoe.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,041,523 to Deloreia discloses a weight-training method using a shoe insert to elevate the user's heel while performing weight-training exercises, such as squats. The method entails placing a wedge-shaped shoe insert into the user's shoe at the start of a weight-training exercise to raise the user's heel. The wedge-shaped insert is made of a relatively hard rubber or thermoplastic material and is shaped to fit into the heel portion of the user's shoe. However, unlike the present invention, both the Kenigson and Deloreia devices are inserted in a user's shoe. The present invention discloses an elevated platform heel sole that is externally connected to the heel portion of a user's shoe.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an elevated heel sole attachable to the user's shoe for use during squats and other leg muscle exercises.

A further object is to provide an elevated heel sole that provides better grip to the user's shoe and helps in isolating posterior leg muscles.

Finally, it is an object of the present invention to provide an elevated heel sole that offers better balance and grip when performing squatting exercises. These and other objects of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the appended Summary, Description, and Claims.

SUMMARY

The present invention is a lower body exercising device. A user's shoe is secured to the device for performing exercises. The device mainly comprises a sole member, an upper member, and a plurality of straps with fasteners for securing the user's shoe. The sole member has a bottom section broader than the top section to provide better balance to the user. The sole member is of sufficient length and thickness such that the forefoot portion of the user's shoe is elevated off the ground when the user's shoe is secured.

The upper member comprises a heel-bed, a heel counter and a band extending from the heel counter. The band wraps around the ankle of the user. The band has a non-elastic portion and an elastic portion with a split. The split is closed by a zipper. The straps are connected to the upper member and are secured after they are passed over the band. The inner surface of the heel counter and the heel-bed include nodules for providing better grip to the user's shoe. The underside of the elevated sole includes raised portions and nodules for providing grip.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of lower body exercising device.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the exercising device.

FIG. 3 is a rear view of the exercising device.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the exercising device.

FIG. 5 is a top view of the exercising device.

FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the exercising device.

FIGURES Reference Numerals

-   10 . . . Lower Body Exercising Device -   12 . . . Sole Member -   14 . . . Upper Member -   16 . . . Nodule -   18 . . . Raised Portion -   20 . . . Logo -   22 . . . Heel-Bed -   24 . . . Heel Counter -   26 . . . Band -   28 . . . Elastic Portion -   30 . . . Zipper -   32 . . . Top Strap -   34 . . . Male End of Snap Buckle -   36 . . . Female End of Snap Buckle -   38 . . . Short Strap -   40 . . . D-Ring

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to the drawings, a preferred embodiment of lower body exercising device 10 is illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 6. The device 10 of the present invention helps in working out the lower body muscles during squatting and other lower body toning exercises.

Referring to FIG. 1, the device 10 comprises a sole member 12, an upper member 14, a plurality of nodules 16 for providing grip to the user's shoe and a plurality of straps 32, 38 to securely hold the user's shoe in place. The sole member 12 is of sufficient length and thickness such that the forefoot portion of the user's shoe is elevated off the ground when the user's shoe is received. Preferably, the sole member 12 is made of two tone non-slip hard rubber.

Referring to FIGS. 2 through 4, the sole member 12 has a top section interfaced to the upper member 14 and a bottom section. The bottom section of the sole member 12 is broader than the top section, thus providing better balance. The top section of the sole member 12 appears as a neck-like structure. The upper member 14 includes a heel-bed 22, a heel counter 24 and a band 26 extending from the heel counter 24. The band 26 wraps around the ankle of a user. The band 26 comprises an elastic portion 28 at its middle, and the rest of the band 26 is non-elastic. The elastic portion 28 includes a split dividing it into two sections. In one embodiment, a zipper 30 is used to connect the two sections of the elastic portion 28. The zipper 30 can be opened for receiving the user's shoe. The heel-bed 22 receives the arch to heel portion of the user's shoe. The heel-bed 22 and the inner surface of the heel counter 24 include a plurality of nodules 16 for providing grip to the user's shoe.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the plurality of straps 32, 38 consist of a pair of short straps 38 and a pair of top straps 32 passing over the band 26. The top straps 32 are connected to one side of the upper member 14 and male ends of snap buckles 34 are connected to their free ends. The short straps 38 are connected to the other side of the upper member 14 and female ends of snap buckles 36 are connected to their free ends. The short straps 38 and top straps 32 are connected to the upper member 14 by D-rings 40. The straps 32, 38 are made of elastic materials, preferably nylon. In order to secure a user's shoe, the heel portion of a user's shoe is received over the heel-bed 22 such that the band 26 wraps around the ankle and the male and female ends of snap buckles 343, 36 are snapped after passing the top straps over the band 26.

Referring to FIG. 6, the underside of the sole member 12 includes a plurality of nodules 16 on the periphery and a plurality of raised portions 18 and a raised logo 20 for providing necessary traction to the device during use. In a preferred embodiment, the raised portions 18 may comprise a pattern or design, including a waffle design.

To use the device 10, the zipper 30 is unzipped and straps 32, 38 are unbuckled. The user insert their shoe into the opening for receiving the user's shoe. Once the shoe is in, the zipper 30 is zipped and straps 32, 38 are re-buckled. Straps 32, 38 are adjusted to the desired tension. This process is repeated for the other shoe.

All features disclosed in this specification, including any accompanying claims, abstract, and drawings, may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

Any element in a claim that does not explicitly state “means for” performing a specified function, or “step for” performing a specific function, is not to be interpreted as a “means” or “step” clause as specified in 35 U.S.C. § 112, paragraph 6. In particular, the use of “step of” in the claims herein is not intended to invoke the provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 112, paragraph 6.

Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, various modifications and substitutions may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the present invention has been described by way of illustration and not limitation. 

1. An elevated heel sole exercising device for securely receiving a user's shoe comprising: a. a sole member of sufficient length and thickness such that the forefoot portion of the user's shoe is elevated off the ground when the user's shoe is secured; b. an upper member comprising a heel counter, a heel-bed for holding heel of user's shoe and a band having elastic and non-elastic portions and extending from the heel counter such that it wraps above the user's foot when the user's shoe is secured; and c. a means for securing the user's shoe.
 2. The device of claim 1, wherein the sole member is made of two-tone non-slip hard rubber.
 3. The device of claim 1, wherein the elastic portion has a split dividing it into two sections and a closure means is used for connecting the two sections.
 4. The device of claim 3, wherein the closure means comprises a zipper.
 5. The device of claim 1, further comprising means for providing grip to the user's shoe.
 6. The device of claim 5, wherein the means for providing grip to the user's shoe comprises a plurality of nodules on the inner surface of the heel counter and on the heel-bed.
 7. The device of claim 6, wherein the nodules are at the periphery and one of the raised portions are arranged in a pattern, including a waffle design.
 8. The device of claim 1, further comprising means for providing traction to the device during use.
 9. The device of claim 8, wherein the means for providing traction to the device during use comprises a plurality of nodules and raised portions on the underside of the sole member.
 10. The device of claim 1, wherein the means for securing the user's shoe comprises a plurality of length adjustable straps and fasteners for connecting the straps.
 11. The device of claim 1, wherein the means for securing the user's shoe comprises a plurality of straps attached to either sides of the upper member and fasteners for securing the straps after passing them over the band.
 12. The device of claim 11, wherein the fasteners comprise snap buckles.
 13. The device of claim 11, wherein the fasteners comprise Velcro.
 14. The device of claim 11, wherein the straps are made of stretchable nylon.
 15. The device of claim 1, wherein the sole member comprises a top section and a bottom section broader than the top section to provide increased balance to the user.
 16. The device of claim 15, wherein the top section forms a neck-like structure.
 17. The device of claim 1, wherein the band wraps around the ankle of the user's foot.
 18. A method for using an elevated heel sole exercising device, comprising the step of: Unzipping a zipper and unbuckling straps on the elevated heel sole exercising device; Inserting a user's shoe into an opening for receiving the user's shoe; Zipping the zipper and buckling the straps; and Adjusting the tension to the straps. 